This bird:
Description
The Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is one of the largest birds of prey in North America, typically standing 70 to 90 centimetres tall with a wingspan that often exceeds two metres, sometimes reaching 2.4 metres. Individuals may weigh more than 7 kilograms, with females generally larger than males – a common trait among raptors. Northern populations, including those in Canada, tend to be larger than southern ones, consistent with Bergmann’s rule, where animals in colder climates develop larger body sizes to conserve heat.
Adult Bald Eagles have a dark brown body that contrasts sharply with bright white feathers on the head and tail. The bill, eyes, and legs are vivid yellow. This distinctive appearance develops gradually over four to five years. Juveniles are mottled brown and white and may resemble Golden Eagles or large vultures, sometimes leading to misidentification.
Credit: Janice Radowits
Bald Eagles are highly specialized predators with powerful adaptations. They possess a large, hooked beak for tearing flesh and oversized feet with strong, curved talons. The undersides of their toes contain rough projections called spicules, which help grip slippery prey such as fish. A particularly large talon, the hallux, is used to puncture and secure prey, allowing efficient capture and handling.
Their eyesight is exceptionally sharp, enabling them to detect prey from great distances – often three to four times farther than humans. This allows them to spot fish near the surface or locate carrion from high in the air. Their vision is adapted for both distance and colour detection, giving them a strong advantage as visual hunters.
Although their sense of smell is poorly developed, Bald Eagles rely on their excellent vision and good hearing to locate food. Their flight is strong and efficient, with slow, deep wingbeats combined with long soaring glides. By using rising air currents, or thermals, they can travel great distances while conserving energy, especially during migration or while searching for food.
Overall, the Bald Eagle’s size, strength, and specialized adaptations make it a dominant aerial predator and scavenger within the ecosystems it inhabits.
Habitat and Habits
Credit: Mîkon Dosogne
Bald Eagles are closely associated with large bodies of water, including oceans, lakes, rivers, and reservoirs. They depend on these environments for reliable access to fish and other prey. Suitable nesting and perching sites are also essential, and most breeding pairs select locations along coastlines or lakeshores where tall, sturdy trees or cliffs provide clear views of surrounding areas and easy access to food.
Some Bald Eagles remain in their breeding territories year-round if water remains unfrozen and food is available. Others migrate seasonally in search of open water and dependable feeding opportunities. Birds nesting inland may travel to coastal regions during winter, while northern populations often move southward as ice forms. Migration distances vary widely, with some individuals travelling hundreds or even thousands of kilometres.
Bald Eagles are generally solitary, or found in pairs during the breeding season, when they defend territories and raise young. Outside this period, they may gather in large numbers at productive feeding sites, particularly where salmon runs, fish die-offs, or other concentrated food sources occur. These gatherings can be especially noticeable along major rivers and coastal areas.
During winter, Bald Eagles often form communal roosting sites in sheltered areas with large trees that provide protection from wind and cold. These roosts can contain hundreds of individuals and are typically located near reliable food sources. Roosting behaviour helps conserve energy and may also provide opportunities for social interaction.
They communicate using a limited range of high-pitched calls that resemble gull-like screams. Despite their imposing size, their voice is relatively weak. These vocalizations are used mainly for territorial defense, courtship, and communication between mates, especially during the breeding season.
Range
Credit: NatureServe
Most of Canada’s breeding Bald Eagles occur in British Columbia, especially along the Pacific coast. Large populations also inhabit the boreal forests of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and northwestern Ontario. Smaller but important populations exist in Atlantic Canada, including Cape Breton and Newfoundland.
In the United States, Bald Eagles breed in more than half of the states. Birds from central Canada often migrate to the west-central and southwestern United States for winter and return north in early spring. Some juveniles wander extensively, travelling hundreds or even thousands of kilometres before settling.
Coastal British Columbia provides winter habitat for many eagles. Large winter congregations occur where food is abundant. One of the largest gatherings in North America takes place along Alaska’s Chilkat River, where thousands of eagles feed on post-spawning salmon.
Canada supports approximately 110,000 Bald Eagles, representing about 55 percent of the global population. When birds breeding in Alaska are included, as many as 60 percent of the world’s Bald Eagles depend on Canadian habitats.
Feeding
Credit: Linda Danyluk
Bald Eagles feed primarily on fish, aquatic birds, and small mammals, with fish forming the core of their diet. Common prey includes salmon, trout, and other species found near the water’s surface. They will also take waterfowl such as ducks and gulls, as well as small mammals when available. Injured animals and carrion are important food sources, particularly when live prey is scarce.
Bald eagles use a variety of feeding strategies. They may snatch fish directly from the water’s surface using their talons, capture prey in shallow water, or steal food from other birds such as Ospreys in a behaviour known as kleptoparasitism. Scavenging is especially common in winter, when eagles feed on carcasses, roadkill, and fish killed or concentrated at dams and spawning sites.
Credit: Leah MacMillan
Young eagles rely more heavily on scavenging and piracy as they develop hunting skills, while experienced adults are more efficient and successful hunters. At abundant food sources such as salmon runs or large carcasses, eagles may gather in groups, though interactions are often competitive rather than cooperative, with dominant individuals securing the best feeding positions.
By consuming weak, injured, and dead animals, Bald Eagles play an important ecological role in nutrient cycling and help reduce the spread of disease in aquatic and shoreline ecosystems. Their feeding habits also link marine and terrestrial environments, transferring nutrients from water bodies into surrounding landscapes.
Breeding
Credit: Gaz Manning
Bald Eagles may mate for life, although pairs can change if breeding attempts fail or a partner dies. Courtship involves dramatic aerial displays, including cartwheels, steep dives, and high-speed chases, which help strengthen pair bonds and establish territory.
Nests are built close to water in large trees, cliffs, or occasionally on human-made structures such as power poles. Breeding pairs defend territories that typically range from 1 to 2 square kilometres, although size can vary depending on food availability. Old-growth forests with tall, sturdy trees provide the most suitable nesting sites, offering stability, protection, and clear access to surrounding areas.
Credit: Janine Brooke
Bald Eagle nests are the largest of any North American bird, averaging 1.5 to 2 metres wide and about 1 metre tall. Nests are reused and expanded each year, sometimes reaching several metres in depth and weighing hundreds of kilograms after many years of use.
Females usually lay one to three eggs, most often two. Incubation lasts about 35 days, with both parents sharing duties, although the female typically spends more time on the nest. Eggs hatch several days apart, creating a size hierarchy among chicks. The largest chick often receives more food and may outcompete smaller siblings, especially when food is limited.
Young eagles grow rapidly and may reach 4 to 5 kilograms within two months. They fledge at about 10 to 12 weeks of age but remain near the nest for several additional weeks while learning to fly and hunt. During this period, parents continue to provide food and guidance. Most young eagles disperse by autumn, travelling widely before eventually establishing their own territories.
Conservation
Credit: Bruce Wallace
Bald Eagle populations declined sharply in the late 1800s due to habitat destruction, persecution, and overhunting. A second major decline occurred in the mid-20th century following widespread use of DDT and other organochlorine pesticides, which caused eggshell thinning and reproductive failure, greatly reducing nesting success.
Restrictions and eventual bans on DDT led to significant recovery across much of the species’ range. However, habitat loss, human disturbance, and pollution remain ongoing concerns. Development along shorelines and waterways can reduce suitable nesting habitat and increase disturbance near active nests, sometimes causing adults to abandon eggs or young.
The removal of large, mature trees limits nesting opportunities, as Bald Eagles depend on tall, stable structures for their large nests. Environmental factors such as acid rain and industrial pollution may also affect fish populations, reducing food availability in some areas.
Modern threats include collisions with vehicles and power lines, electrocution on poorly designed infrastructure, illegal shooting, and poisoning. Lead exposure from ammunition remains a significant concern, as eagles may ingest lead fragments when feeding on carcasses left by hunters, which can cause serious illness or death.
Conservation measures include strong legal protection, the establishment of buffer zones around nests, habitat preservation, and public education. Rehabilitation programs and reintroduction efforts, such as hacking (raising young birds in the wild), have also contributed to recovery in some regions.
Today, most Canadian Bald Eagle populations are stable or increasing, reflecting successful conservation efforts. Continued management, monitoring, and protection of critical habitats remain essential to ensure long-term population health.
Cultural and Historical Significance
Credit: Annie Langlois
For Indigenous peoples across Canada, the Bald Eagle holds deep spiritual and cultural significance. Eagle feathers are considered sacred in many traditions and are often associated with honesty, courage, wisdom, and a connection to the Creator. Feathers may be used in ceremonies, regalia, and important cultural practices, and are treated with great respect.
Bald Eagles have been, and are, regarded as powerful and symbolic beings. They appear in stories, artwork, and ceremonies across many cultures, often representing strength, vision, and leadership. Their behaviour, seasonal movements, and nesting patterns have been carefully observed as part of traditional ecological knowledge, helping inform an understanding of the natural world.
During the fur trade and early settlement periods, Bald Eagles were often persecuted, as they were seen as competitors for fish and game. This led to declines in some populations. However, changing attitudes toward wildlife in the 20th century, along with increased ecological understanding, resulted in greater appreciation and protection of the species.
Today, the Bald Eagle remains a powerful symbol of wilderness, resilience, and cultural continuity. It continues to hold important meaning for Indigenous communities while also serving as an icon of conservation and healthy ecosystems across Canada.
Relationship with People
Credit: Annie Langlois
Bald Eagles are among the most visible large raptors in Canada and are highly valued by birdwatchers, photographers, and tourists. Their presence enhances outdoor recreation and provides opportunities for environmental education, particularly in parks and coastal areas where they are frequently observed.
Conflicts can sometimes occur when eagles nest near areas of human activity or feed at fish farms, landfills, and other artificial food sources. These situations may lead to disturbance or changes in natural behaviour. Responsible land-use planning, protection of nesting areas, and increased public awareness help reduce these impacts and support coexistence.
Credit: Andrea Page
Bald Eagles are also important subjects in scientific research. They are widely used as indicator species in studies of pollution, migration, and ecosystem health, particularly in aquatic environments. Long-term monitoring programs rely on cooperation between scientists, governments, and Indigenous communities to track population trends and environmental change.
By learning to coexist with Bald Eagles and protecting the habitats they depend on, people help conserve healthy aquatic ecosystems that benefit both wildlife and human communities.
Resources
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bald Eagle
Canadian Geographic, Bald Eagle
Government of Ontario, Bald Eagle
- COSEWIC (Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada). (2018). Assessment and Status Report on the Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) in Canada. Government of Canada.
- Environment and Climate Change Canada. (2023). Bald Eagle Species Profile. Government of Canada.
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada. (2021). Contaminants and Marine Food Webs in Canada. Government of Canada.
- S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (2020). Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Fact Sheet.
- Buehler, D.A. (2020). Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). In A.F. Poole (Ed.), Birds of the World. Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
- Watson, J.W., Stinson, D.W., & McAllister, K.R. (2014). Recovery of Bald Eagles in the Pacific Northwest. Journal of Raptor Research, 48(2), 173–184.
- Scheuhammer, A.M., & Norris, S.L. (1996). The ecotoxicology of lead shot and lead fishing weights in Canada. Environmental Reviews, 4(3–4), 157–180.
- Elliott, J.E., & Harris, M.L. (2002). An ecotoxicological assessment of chlorinated hydrocarbon effects on Bald Eagle populations. Environmental Pollution, 117(3), 465–472.
Original text: R.F. Stocek, 1992
Revised text: Jody North, 2026
What we can do
Credit: Linda Stephens
You can help protect Bald Eagles by supporting conservation efforts:
- Protect shoreline and forest habitats
- Respect nesting buffer zones
- Dispose of waste responsibly
- Use non-lead ammunition where possible
- Support conservation organizations
- Share knowledge about eagle ecology
Every action that protects clean water and healthy forests benefits Bald Eagles and many other species.